


The Training Games

by Anara_Muse



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: 3rd Quarter Quell AU, F/M, Minor Character Death, Not Canon Compliant - Catching Fire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-27
Packaged: 2018-03-25 23:08:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3828367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anara_Muse/pseuds/Anara_Muse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the 75th Hunger Games and President Snow is desperate. There's nothing he can do to quench the fire of rising rebellion, so he turns to Plutarch Heavensbee and creates the most earth-shattering Games Panem has ever seen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Changes are made after the Tour of 'Catching Fire.' Everything until after that point is as Suzanne Collins wrote it.

The Games had not gone how President Snow had wanted, not at all. Instead of a victor from one of the career districts, he got a surprise. And Coriolanus Snow hated surprises. They were unplanned and had a habit of going the wrong way. Just like with the 74th annual Hunger Games. The victor from 12, Haymitch Abernathy, had played on Crane’s weakness-a good show-in order to give his two tributes a sporting chance. A love twist would make the Games much more enjoyable to watch! And of course Seneca fell for it. He ate up the idea like dogs gobble up bones.

The only thing Snow could do was watch while his carefully constructed plans fell apart, and the two tributes from 12 fought back. Snow was desperate, and he didn’t do desperate well. He would not be so helpless again. So he called Plutarch Heavensbee to his office. Seneca Crane had messed up last year, so President Snow had to be extra careful in choosing just the perfect candidate for Head Gamer. Heavensbee might think he had volunteered for the post but the truth was very different indeed. Nothing was going to mess up this year’s Games. “Heavensbee,” he intoned when the man finally arrived, “I have no doubt you know why you are here.”

“Yes, President. The uprisings in the lower districts.”

“To begin with. But they will spiral out into the other, higher districts. And they will affect the Games. You do understand, don’t you, Seneca Crane’s gross error in last year’s Games?”

“He let too much hope into the hearts of the people. A spark, so to speak, igniting the proverbial haystack.”

“Yes. Now a flame has erupted from these sparks, especially two from 12. I want them snuffed out.”

“I agree. However, we need to do it carefully.”

“And how would you suggest to do so, Heavensbee?” It was a dangerous question, but Plutarch was nothing if not a man of clever phrases and words.

“Why did the precious Girl on Fire volunteer last year?”

“Her sister was reaped.” Obviously. But as he knew there was a point, he waited.

“Exactly. She had hope, something to live, or as it stands die, for. We need to squash that hope totally and completely. Feed fear back into the people. First, more frequent beatings, but this time we broadcast them. Make them public. Televise every wrong doing of the districts. And of course, we can tweak the Quarter Quell to our liking.”

Intriguing. “Such as?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“This year, for Panem’s 75th annual Hunger Games, and our third Quarter Quell, to remind the people of Panem that even allies grow few and loved ones are not spared when tragedy visits, this year, there will be no opportunity to Volunteer. And as a continuing reminder, only the siblings and other family members of the existing pool of Victors shall be reaped.”

I stare at the television in the living room in horror as the information President Snow just gave seeped in. I spare a glance to Peeta and Haymitch. The former is also perturbed while the latter's calm. Of course. He has no family. Only Peeta and I have people to lose in this. And this time, I won’t be able to save Prim.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Peace Keepers lead Prim and Gale, my “cousin” into the square while I watch on with my mother, Peeta and his parents, and Haymitch. It's a small reaping pool this year. Effie will only be able to choose my sister and Peeta’s sister who just turned twelve this year. As much as I love Prim, I doubt that if she is chosen, she'll be coming out. I know this is all in Snow’s plans. The boys for District 12’s reaping is Gale, his brothers, and Peeta’s. They all range in the ages from twelve to sixteen, besides Gale. The only real hope I have for 12 was in Gale. Anyone else is just fodder, a cannon waiting to go off. I turn to Peeta, my solace, and hug him close, crying into his shoulder. “Katniss,” he whispers. “It’s going to be okay.”

I can't handle it. I go to Haymitch. “Princess,” is all he says. And, as it turns out, it's all I need. I stand in the middle of the only two remaining men in my life, taking comfort from them both as the other stands alone, waiting to see if the odds are in his favour.

Effie walks up to the podium, and everyone stands at attention, as if she were a war general. In a way, she is. This is war for us. Just one we can't fight back in. “First, for the girls.” She turns to the big glass bowl and hesitantly puts her hand in where there are only two names. She pulls out the small slip of paper, and it seemed an eternity to me as she unfolds it. “Primrose Everdeen,” she says, and I scream. “PRIM! NO PRIM!” But there is nothing I can do. I'm numb while Effie spares me a pitying glance, and then turns to the boys’ bowl. “Grayn Mellark,” she says, and I am thankful that at least it was not Gale. But Peeta is torn up, crying as hard as I am. We watch, in tears, as the Peace Keepers take them to their respective rooms and we wait to say goodbye.

“Prim,” I say and then we are hugging. She had waited by the door, simply waiting calmly. She only falls apart when I hug her and Mom pets her hair. We can't say anything. I'm too torn up, and Mom can't believe another one of her children is going to be killed.

Finally, I'm able to speak. “Prim, you have to be strong. I won for you, you can win as well,” I say earnestly, but with little faith. She's only thirteen. Too much like Rue. And as Haymitch had told Peeta and myself during the tour, we were going to be trainers. I have to help my sister prepare to die. I can't do it. But I have to. Just like I have to help her believe in herself right now. “You can do this. You will win.”

“But I can’t shoot a bow like you.”

“Then hide.”

“How, Katniss?”

“In the trees.”

“And if there are no trees?”

“Then you have to make allies. 1 and 2. Or 4. Most of the victors are from there. There’s a reason.”

“They’ll turn on me.”

“You have to be careful. Of course they’ll turn on you. It’s the nature of the Games.” We're silent for a moment and then I say fiercely, knowing our time is short, “Prim, you have to do this. _Make_ the odds be in your favour.” I crush her in a hard hug, and Mom joined. Then we are ushered out by the Peace Keepers. I hold my mom’s hand until it's time for me to join Peeta and Haymitch on the train with Prim and Grayn. The Games are about to start.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, how are our darling tributes?" Haymitch asks as ten eyes turn to glare at him. Effie, Haymitch, Grayn, Peeta, Prim, and I are sitting at the same table we had last year, eating another lavish meal.

"Haymitch, manners!" Effie snaps before turning to look at Grayn and Prim. "I'm very sorry. He's always like this. Unfortunately."

"Not if you throw a knife at him." I smirked, remembering last year. Haymitch glared and Peeta laughed. "Haymitch only likes you if you have a fighting spirit. You have to try to kill him first before he'll give you a chance."

Prim and Grayn look shocked at me and Peeta quickly steps in. "Don't worry you two. You have Katniss and I. We'll give you that fighting spirit."

"You can't give what they don't have," Haymitch drunkenly butts in.

"Shut up Haymitch." I then turn away and look at my sister. "One of you will win this. I don't care whay I have to do, 12 _will_ have another victor this year."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta," Haymitch says, pointing out two victors among the tributes, one I instantly know and the other I vaguely recognize. Prim and Grayn are with Cinna and Portia, so Haymitch is helping Peeta and I know who to befriend and who the good, "generous" sponsors are, as "this is your first year, and being a trainer is almost worse than being in the Games itself." I haven't really paid attention too much, but I listen to Haymitch for this one. "They won back to back Games. Finnick is the youngest ever to win, at fourteen. And while Finnick is the Capitol's sweetheart, Annie went crazy because of the Games. Or so they say."

"Then why point her out," I asked. "If she's no good as a trainer, why would we need to recognize her? There's no point."

"I never said she was useless as a trainer, princess." Haymitch scowls as he ushers us up to the two young adults who couldn't have been more than five years older than us.

"Annie only trains a tribute every other year," Peeta whispers in my ear as we walk. That makes sense. District 4 has about five to seven living victors. "Everytime she does, that tribute wins. It's happened four times now." I guess that explains why 4 has so many victors.

"She didn't train last year then." It wasn't a question.

"No. Finnick and an older victor, Mags, did."

"And this year's tributes from 4?"

"Libette and Nami, Mags' twins." a golden honeyed voice said. I turned away from to Peeta to see that we we now face-to-face with Finnick and Annie.

"Hello Finnick."

"Katniss. And Peeta? Before you ask how Mags can have twins at her age, she adopted them."

"She has a kind spirit."

The redhead beside Finnick, who was obviously Annie, glowered at Peeta. She probably thought he was mocking the old victor but I knew by the tone in his voice that Peeta was sincere. So it was because of that, my nerves, and Annie's comment that made me snap at her. "Look Lover Boy, just because you've had a "hard" lot doesn't mean everyone else is a heartless bastard." She said.

"Don't you DARE." I snarl, turning to the young red head. "Don't you fucking dare. Peeta's the sweetest person you will ever meet. He was sincere about Mags. Just because you're a bitch doesn't mean he is. So back the fuck off."

Annie and I glared at each other for a tense moment. Then she lets out a long, loud laugh, leaving me bewildered. "I like you. Finnick, I like this one. She's feisty."

"She's something," Haymitch mutters.

"Almost like Johanna," Finnick smiles.

"Johanna?" Peeta asks.

"Mason," I answer automatically. I know all about Johanna. "Pretended to be weak and useless and then killed off the last tributes during her Games. She's amazing with an axe." I'd watched her win her Games three years ago. She was seventeen then. I had a feeling we would either get along great, or not at all.

Peeta gazes at me in shock, but before he can answer, Haymitch butts in again. "Sorry to break up your little party, but don't you four have work to do?"

"Right. Not everything can be pleasure," Finnick laughs. I roll my eyes. Maybe this training thing wouldn't be so bad. "Which tribute are you training, Katniss?" He asks and then reality comes back to me. This isn't a form of fun. I have to prepare Prim.

"My sister."

"Of course. And Peeta's training his brother. Well, I'll be training Libette. Annie and Nami have been best friends for years. It's only natural."

"You think the Games are _natural?"_

"Not now," Finnick says, giving me a warning look. "Not here. Anyway, I want our tributes to be allies. With the four of us training and helping them together, they could do some damage. Does Prim have any special skills? Anything to make her indispensable?"

"Not really. She's too gentle. She's a healer."

"That won't help her fight."

"You think I don't know that?"

"Whoa, calm down, Spit Fire. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to ensure one of our tributes wins."

"Which will be Nami. Not only is he strong, but he's smart and determined." Annie said way too confidently. Naturally, I lashed out.

'It isn't just brains and determination. You know the Games are rigged. If Snow wants a tribute dead, they will be. He won't allow another mistake like last year."

"Katniss, calm down," Peeta whispers in my ear as Finnick says "It's almost time for the parade to start. We'll discuss this later." I nodded stiffly and Peeta gently led me away to where Prima and Grayn were waiting on their chariots.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You're beautiful, little duck," I say, the words tripping out of my mouth. Cinna's worked his magic once more, but this time on Prim. She's in a black dress, her yellow hair pulled back with a black headband. But there's something more to the simple outfit. There's a soft glow that reminds me a bit of the light from Gale's headlight he wears when he goes down into the mines. I can already see the implications of Cinna's design and for Prim, I'm horrified. "Peeta," I whisper and dhtough he's looking over Grayn in another glowing outfit similar to Prim's, he hears me and comes over.

"Yes?"

"Don't you see what Cinna and Portia have done?"

"I like it, Katniss."

"Things are never done without a reason. Surely you know that by now," Haymitch says from behind us. We spin around to see him-as usual-scowling. "You two are trainers now. Seems like the only one acting like it is our little princess here. Wake up, Peeta. Now, both of you, go give guidance to your tributes."

"Like you did last year?" Peeta challenges, but I just pull him away before Haymitch can react.

"Prim! Grayn!" They both turn from where they are on the chariot and wait for me to continue. "This is different year. The Quarter Quell." I say. "You will not do as you say us do last year. No hand holding. No unity. No waving."

"Is there anything they can do, princess?"

"Yes. Stand cool and aloof. If you smile, it's a small one. You are above the spectators, the other tributes, everyone. One of you will be this year's victor. One of you will help make 12 a great district. Act like it." With that, I walk away, taking Peeta and Haymitch with me.


End file.
